My Art Journal page for this week is all about Gratitude. I am so thankful for all that the Almighty has blessed me with: my family, health, art and so many more.
I know that all creative souls get stuck at some point in their creative pursuits. This page for me was one such. How do you deal with such mental blocks? Frustration, is one bad thing that I have to struggle with.
I loved this background page but had a very tough time to come up with a main element. I tried painting, collage pictures and at one point I even thought of tearing this whole page. Then, BINGO, I came up with that border pattern and loved how it merged with the background. The next thing that came to my mind was this word, THANKFUL. This page in real is much more vibrant than how you see in this picture and I love it.
Usually, I start a page with a very free mind. I know I lost that free creative spirit here. But this page led me to think of what creating is for me, how I feel about art. I am not after perfection but when I create I am very particular that the finished piece should be close to my heart. When I am unable to attain that I feel frustrated, disappointed...Still I don't stop there, I try again and again. Is this called as passion for art, an intense love for what you are doing? I'm not sure. This process led me to think about why I spend so much time creating. Art is expensive, it is not a business for me [at least not yet], still why do I love colors and patterns?
Just felt like writing my thoughts here. If anyone cared to read this and want to share your experience please do. It is always nice to know that there are like-minded people around.
I wanted to share one more art related idea here.
How do you store scraps, odd tickets and cards, things that you eventually incorporate in your art page?
I had a major issue of organizing my scrap pieces, and when the time came to create I never got the right paper and stuff seemed to just pile up.
Recently, I found a way to sort them. I bought a 8 by 10 size drawing book from Blick and started gluing my scraps on its pages. Now I have a collage/scrap book to browse through and whenever I need any small piece I only have to go through this book. The book's pages are getting filled and thankfully I now don't have to tuck stickers, postal stamps and such here and there and then forget about them.
Here are a couple of pages from my book:
A lovely wedding invitation envelope and card of one of my cousins, postal stamps, a fall leaf... .
Sorry this post got really long. But thought I had to share this idea with my blogger friends.
Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful weekend
SusaN
Linking this page to PPF and Art Journal Everyday
I know that all creative souls get stuck at some point in their creative pursuits. This page for me was one such. How do you deal with such mental blocks? Frustration, is one bad thing that I have to struggle with.
I loved this background page but had a very tough time to come up with a main element. I tried painting, collage pictures and at one point I even thought of tearing this whole page. Then, BINGO, I came up with that border pattern and loved how it merged with the background. The next thing that came to my mind was this word, THANKFUL. This page in real is much more vibrant than how you see in this picture and I love it.
Usually, I start a page with a very free mind. I know I lost that free creative spirit here. But this page led me to think of what creating is for me, how I feel about art. I am not after perfection but when I create I am very particular that the finished piece should be close to my heart. When I am unable to attain that I feel frustrated, disappointed...Still I don't stop there, I try again and again. Is this called as passion for art, an intense love for what you are doing? I'm not sure. This process led me to think about why I spend so much time creating. Art is expensive, it is not a business for me [at least not yet], still why do I love colors and patterns?
Just felt like writing my thoughts here. If anyone cared to read this and want to share your experience please do. It is always nice to know that there are like-minded people around.
I wanted to share one more art related idea here.
How do you store scraps, odd tickets and cards, things that you eventually incorporate in your art page?
I had a major issue of organizing my scrap pieces, and when the time came to create I never got the right paper and stuff seemed to just pile up.
Recently, I found a way to sort them. I bought a 8 by 10 size drawing book from Blick and started gluing my scraps on its pages. Now I have a collage/scrap book to browse through and whenever I need any small piece I only have to go through this book. The book's pages are getting filled and thankfully I now don't have to tuck stickers, postal stamps and such here and there and then forget about them.
Here are a couple of pages from my book:
Can you see those two little shells? I got them from India when we visited the beach.
Sorry this post got really long. But thought I had to share this idea with my blogger friends.
Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful weekend
SusaN
Linking this page to PPF and Art Journal Everyday
Love your beautiful "thankful" page--
ReplyDeleteI think the idea behind your "Thankful" page is wonderful! It's a beautiful page. It's hard sometimes to keep pushing forward, sometimes I spend a lot of time thinking about doing art when I'm not in the space to create it... I like your idea for keeping your supplies in order. Some of my supplies are organized, others much less so...
ReplyDeleteI think your post is very thought provoking. I'm not a scrap book person, so I don't have anything to share as to storing all that lovely paper that makes up these beautiful pages. But I do find that in art, when I'm not or don't achieve what my expectations were for a piece that in the long run - it isn't finished. That maybe what lies on the surface at that point in time is really just the begining of another layer that weaves the story.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Susan. Having a thankful couple of pages is always a great idea. You have made such a beautiful piece of art.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, so happy to see more of your art today!! I LOVE LOVE the thankful page, you know that is a favorite topic/thought of mine. How wonderful it was to read your thought process too, I love reading the feelings going into a page by artists. GOOD FOR YOU NOT GIVING UP!!! The page came out so beautiful, would never have known it wasn't working for you. I feel the same way about art, it gets into your soul/heart and consumes my waking moments. I too get frustrated and give up for days then try again. Thank you so much for sharing this, really helps to know you go thru this too. Keep making beautiful art to share with us, makes me very happy!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun collage journal for you, LOVE IT! So many cute and little things that are perfect for this. I just started a collage journal too and really enjoy it. Just little bits of paper and glue stuck anywhere, just free playing. Keep doing these too!!
Susan, you can share lots and write lots anytime, it's always good to read and see what your doing. Have a great weekend! HUGS!!
your 'thankful' page is lovely...full of texture and pattern and color. As for making my art turn out the way I want...well, I often just go with the flow. but if I am not satisfied, that means I try again...and it becomes a 'series' of works about the same/similar subject! after all, all those classic painters did lots of sketches and preliminary paintings before they did their masterpieces! happy PPF!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work. Creativity is definitely something to be thankful for. it is so difficult to work when your muse isn't around! Great idea to keep all your scrap pieces in a book and so easy to find what you want that way!
ReplyDeleteWell, good on you for not giving up, your journalpage turned out beautifully!
ReplyDeleteThose pages are beautiful. I will assume that you create for the same reason I do - you have to. I am thankful to God the creator every day that he has given me that same desire to create. It feels like breathing (very necessary that is!) HPPF
ReplyDeleteThankful pages is beautiful I am the same and have no idea why I'm so attracted to color and why if fills me up like nothing else!! When you figure it out please let me know!!
ReplyDeleteHugs Giggles
Wonderful to hear about your process and your organized book is great. I paint because I feel so good when I do, it's that simple..for me anyway. Happy PPF
ReplyDeleteThese are really great pages.
ReplyDeleteNicole/Beadwright
LOVE your thankful page and all of your thought-provoking questions. I usually begin a project with no real idea of where it's going...it may begin with a single image I like or maybe some words or colors. Usually if I keep playing I come up with something I really like. On a great day I come up with something I fall in love with. Occasionally I just get to a point where I just need to stop and I may or may not come back to it later. I think it's all part of the process and the process is where I find life. The finished product is not really important to me, which is why I will probably always be a starving artist :-)
ReplyDeleteWonderful pages! I love those doily prints. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteAll the very best!
Sometimes I find it hard to create because too any other things are occupying my mind.
ReplyDeleteDeleting some of my little errands and returning back to the canvas works well for me 75% of the time; then after some therapy art I'm go to go and tackle the harder issues: )
Love the way your journal pages turned out.
Thank you everyone for your kind words and especially those who took the time to go through my post and told me about their art process. I could relate with most of the experiences and it is a great feeling to know that there are others like me who think and feel and create art.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you all